Dickinson Air Force Station


Dickinson Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located northeast of Dickinson, North Dakota. It was closed in 1965.

History

Dickinson Air Force Station came into existence as part of Phase III of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. On 20 October 1953 ADC requested a third phase of twenty-five radar sites be constructed. It became active in April 1959.
The 706th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron activated with AN/FPS-3 search and AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. A second AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar was added in 1960.
During 1961 Dickinson AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment system, initially feeding data to DC-20 at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 706th Radar Squadron on 15 July 1961. The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile. By 1963 the radars had been upgraded to AN/FPS-66 search and AN/FPS-90 height-finder radars, and on 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-177.
In addition to the main facility, Dickinson operated three unmanned AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites:
  • Glendive, MT
  • Alexander, ND
  • McIntosh, SD
All three Gap Filler sites remain with both the radar towers and support structures intact. The Alexander site is now home to the Watford City Joint Surveillance System LRR site.
Dickinson was removed from service on 1 March 1965. The 706th Radar Squadron was inactivated 25 June 1965.
Today the station is abandoned, being demolished.

Buildings and facilities

Buildings on the station include:
  • Family Housing
  • Club and Gymnasium
  • Telephony Kiosk
  • Search Radar Tower
  • Height Finder Radar Tower
  • Radomes
  • Heating Plant
  • Bachelor Officers Quarters
  • Barracks
  • Operations Building
  • Squadron Headquarters building
  • Administration building
  • Power building
One interesting fact about the main station is that the family housing area is approximately one mile west of the operations buildings. The Ground to Air Transmitter-Receiver facility was located off-station at, approximately 2700' elevation AMSL, roughly 3 miles north of the main station.

Air Force units and assignments

Units

706th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
Assignments: